Pipeline Safety

Nicor Gas carefully maintains a network of natural gas mains and service pipelines that deliver natural gas to more than 640 communities in Illinois. This comprehensive infrastructure provides the natural gas necessary to successfully serve more than two million homes and businesses.

Our priority is the safety of our customers and our employees. We are committed to maintaining a safe and reliable natural gas pipeline infrastructure that serves the needs of customers, including working with local/regional response officials located near our pipeline facilities to ensure a better understanding of the nature of our infrastructure and our emergency preparedness.

Nicor Gas's Technical Compliance Department, a part of the Engineering group under the direction of the Vice President of Supply Operations, oversees the policies, standard practices and programs in regards to natural gas pipeline safety. The department acts as a liaison between Nicor Gas and state and federal regulatory agencies to ensure that the company complies with the various pipeline safety laws and regulations.

For more information about pipeline safety, we encourage you to visit the following websites:

Nicor Gas adheres to the Code of Federal Regulations Title 49: Part 191 & 192, issued by the Department of Transportation's (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA). Acting through the Office of Pipeline Safety, PHMSA administers the DOT's national regulatory program to assure the safe transportation of natural gas, petroleum and other hazardous materials by pipeline.

PHMSA requires that distribution systems comply with requirements for design, construction, testing, inspection, operations and maintenance from the point of connection to the Company's system through transmission up to and including the gas meter that is connected to a home.

Nicor Gas also complies with the requirements of Illinois Administrative Code Title 83. The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) enforces the Illinois Administrative Code Title 83: Public Utilities. The ICC's Natural Gas Pipeline Safety division inspects natural gas pipeline facilities to ensure compliance with all Federal and State safety rules and regulations pertaining to the design, construction, operation and maintenance of those facilities.